Matt Hein reunited with Maciariello at Siena

Guard made verbal commitment to BU back when Saints' coach was Terriers' assistant

When Siena men's basketball guard Matt Hein was a high school recruit in Florida, he bonded with up-and-coming college assistant coaches Carmen Maciariello and Torrey Ward.

He verbally committed to Maciariello and Boston University, and later signed with Ward and Illinois State.

Hein didn't get to play for Maciariello, who left for another job. He never played for Ward, who died in a plane crash.

Now a graduate student at Siena, Hein will finally get to suit up for Maciariello, the Saints' new head coach. Hein said he sees common traits between the two men who made such an impact on him.

"The charisma is what I'd consider very similar and then their basketball minds,'' Hein said. "Carm is very intelligent on the floor and it shows, and coach Ward was, as well. They're very similar and that's kind of what drew me to Carm and what drew me to ISU."

Hein comes to Loudonville for his final college season after spending four years at Illinois State, including a redshirt season. He decided to play for the Redbirds even though Ward died on April 6, 2015, when a twin-engine Cessna went down while coming back from the Final Four in Indianapolis. Ward was 36.

Hein still keeps the last text message he got from Ward a week earlier. "What's up young fella,'' texted Ward, checking up on his recruit. Hein found out about the crash, which killed seven, in a phone call from his father, Todd, as he ate lunch at his high school.

"I just couldn't even believe it,'' Hein said. "It was awful. He was my guy and one of the reasons I came to Illinois State, why I committed there. It hurt, definitely, when I found that out."

He averaged 2.5 points per game over 65 games with the Redbirds and head coach Dan Muller. Though Hein enjoyed some good moments with the Redbirds, including a National Invitation Tournament appearance in 2017, he decided to move on after last season.

"All the guys I came in with graduated,'' Hein said. "I didn't have very many relationships left. That was a huge thing for me, those relationships. I wanted a change and I felt like (Siena) gave me an opportunity to do that."

Meanwhile, Maciariello was happy to get a second chance at a player whom he already knew well. Hein committed to Boston U. during his sophomore year of high school, but backed out after Maciariello left to take an assistant's position on the George Washington staff in 2014. Then Hein signed with Illinois State.

"I knew he was a good culture kid and he was going to work hard and he would fit in the locker room,'' Maciariello said. "I want guys that want to be a Siena basketball player, but more important, that want to be involved with something so special. Our guys all love each other and care about each other and he fits right in."

Maciariello made clear he expects Hein to contribute on the court, as well. Hein, who is 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, will be in the rotation and play multiple positions in Siena's three- and four-guard lineups.

"I think he's got a chance to play significant minutes at any of those guard spots,'' Maciariello said. "He's very sound fundamentally, so he'll be able to understand and follow game plans because he's older and he's not a freshman."

He could fit well into Maciariello's position-less offensive system because that's how Hein learned how to play under his father in AAU ball.

"I taught him to be a basketball player,'' Todd Hein said. "It was all about dribble, pass, cut, screen and shoot. ... I wanted them to be solid, fundamental players."

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1of3Matt Hein, left, handles the ball during a drill as Siena men's basketball holds an open practice for fans at the Alumni Recreation Center at Siena College on Monday, Oct. 7, 2019 in Loudonville, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union2of3Kyle Young, #12, goes up for a shot against Matt Hein, #5, as Siena men's basketball holds an open practice for fans at the Alumni Recreation Center at Siena College on Monday, Oct. 7, 2019 in Loudonville, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union3of3Matt Hein, who is transferring to Siena, averaged 2.5 points per game over three seasons at Illinois State. (Illinois State athletic communications)Illinois State athletic communications

Hein lives off-campus in a house with Siena graduate forward Elijah Burns as both pursue a degree in Siena's new MBA program. He said he's preaching to his younger teammates to talk more on the practice court and spend more time together off it.

"(Maciariello) treats me as a second son, or a son in a way,'' Hein said. "He tells me things he probably wouldn't tell the rest of the team. He's given me responsibility. I appreciate that to the Nth degree. I love him."